Rail clamp



L. F. HEPTNER RAIL cLAuP Filud lay 20 1925 Nov. 17, 1925.

Patented Nov. I7, 1925i.

LEOPOLD F. HEPTNER, OF JOI-INSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL CLAMP.

Application filed May 20, 1925.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, LEOPOLD F. I-InrrNnu, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Cambriaand State of Pennsylvania, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Clamps, of which the following is a specilication.

rlhe present invention relates to rail clainis and is designed as an improvement on my prior United States Patent Number 1,504,345, granted August lgfei.

Objects of this invention are to provide a rail clamp which is both rotatable and in vertible so that any one of a plurality of faces of the clainp'may be brought into iinpingement against the base fiange of the rail for securing tho latter from movement on the tie; to provide an exceedingly simple clamp which can be installed quickly, in the first instance, and which can be expeditiously rotated or inverted to bring a new bearing face into engagement with the rail whenever necessary; and to provide an inexpensive and incumbersome clamp which can be manufactured at a very low cost.

Other objects of the invention will be ap? parent from the following description of the present preferred form of the invention wherein Fig. l is a plan view of a rail clamp constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a clamp constructed in accordance with this invention shown applied on one side of a rail which is mounted on the tie and a vertical sectional view of a clamp constructed in accordance with this invention illustrating its application' on the other side of a rail', the rail being shown in cross section and the tie in fragmentary section.

I n the drawings, in order to illustrate the application of this invention a portion of a mine tie 8 is shown which is of standard construction and has a rail t likewise of standard construction superimposed thereon.

Extending upwardly through the top of the tie 3 on opposite sides of and in proximity to the edges of the base flanges of the rail l a pair of identical bolts 5 extend. Each of these bolts comprises an elongated head 6 which is adapted to bear against the Serial No. 31,593.

under face of the tie and a threaded shank which extends upwardly to a point apprecably above the base flange of the rail. These bolts are shown in order to illustrate the application of the present invention although it is to be understood that bolts of other configurations may also be employed advantageously.

The clamp constructed in accordance with the present invention consists of a body 7 which, in the present instance, is shown to be of substantially oblong` configuration, the opposite ends thereof issuing into lugs S the faces of which are tapered to conform to the inclination of the top of the base fiange of the rail for impingenient thereagainst. Each of the clamps` is provided with a threaded bore which is adapted for engagement with the threaded shank of one of the bolts 5. When the clamps are in position on the shanks the edges of the base fiange of the rail are spaced from the sides of the clamp body to permit rotation of the clamps in an obvious manner. If desired, the clamps may be lixedly secured on the threaded shanks by use of cotter pins 9 or other securing means.

By employing a clamp constructed in accordance with this invention it is apparent that either of the lower faces of the lugs 8 may be brought into engagement with the top of the base iiange of the rail by simply rotating the clamp On the threaded shank of its bo-lt. This is verv often desimhl@ h6- cause the clamp becomes chipped or indented from wear. Furthermore, the present clamp is so constructed that it can be inverted on. the bolt and the upper face of either of the lugs 8 brought into engagement with the top of the base flange of the rail. In this way, the rail clamp can be used for an indefinite period of time and by changing the clamp from time to time maximum efciency will be obtained.

While I have above described a clamp embodying yonly a pair of lugs, the upper and lower edges of which are adapted for engagement with the base fiange ofthe rail, nevertheless I am aware that more than two lugs can be used to advantage and` furthermore, the side faces, as well as the upper and lower faces of the lugs, can, under certain conditions be used to advantage. I

What is claimed is A rail clamp including a clamp body pro- 10 vided with a threaded bore and equipped with lugs' the upper and lon'erlfaee of each VofV which i's tapered to conform-to the shape Yof the -base ange of a rail for engagement therewith. u Y v v Y i LEOPOLD F. HEPTNER. 

